Help Us Rewrite This Family’s Story
Beyond the Porch
Out of all the things we’ve done — and all the programs we run — Summer Meals is, and will probably always be, my favorite.
And I love it for a lot of reasons, but the thing I love most is that I get 3 minutes a week with a family, for 11 weeks out of the Summer.
Three minutes on their front porch to say hi.
Three minutes at their front door to joke with the kids.
Three minutes per week to break down walls and build relationships.
It’s a three-minute peek into their world and the unique challenges, hopes, and struggles that each family carries. It may not seem like a lot, but those three minutes have taught us everything we need to know about relationships, trust, and what real ministry looks like. We’ve learned that real ministry isn’t measured by the quantity of meals we deliver each summer — it’s measured by the quality of the relationships we build. They’ve shown us that, more than anything, people just need to feel seen.
The Ask
This year, just four weeks into Summer Meals, and only 12 minutes into our relationship, one of the moms pulled up to our house to pick up her groceries for the week. In tow were her 14-year-old son and her 8-year-old son, whom I got to meet for the first time.
After we finished packing the last grocery bag for them, we said our goodbyes. I likely said some stupid dad joke to the kids, as I often do, and they walked down the driveway to the car to load up their groceries and head home. And then they walked back up—the 14-year-old a few steps ahead of his mom and brother.
“Excuse me. Mr. Mike? I wanted to ask if you could help us get a new home?”
Three minutes in, and this 14-year-old kid—same age as mine—proceeded to tell me how it’s “very small for his family”, and how “the water leaks when it rains”, and how the bugs [motions to his arms- covered in bites] crawl all over them at night.
Fourteen years old, man. He’s just a kid.
The Next 10 Weeks
I told him I needed a couple of weeks. It wasn’t a yes, but it wasn’t a no. We were knee-deep in what is arguably our busiest time of the year. I had just gotten back from a 2-week road trip to New York, and we were leaving for TN in just a couple of weeks. I promised him I’d think about it.
And think about it I did—every day for the last 10 weeks.
I’ll never forget – I got back from TN the second week in July, and sometime shortly thereafter (mid-July-ish), I stopped by their house to give them the news: we were going to try to help them get a new home. The only caveat was that we had to get through Summer Meals and Back-to-School clothes first before I had the bandwidth to do it. I’m not even sure if he heard that part though– I’ll never forget the smile on that kid's face. It’s the kind of smile that only comes when you finally get some good news. The kind of smile that only hope can deliver. The kind of smile that makes the hard days of this job worth it.
A Peek Inside
Last week, I stood in the kitchen of their 20-year-old, rundown RV while this 14-year-old kid showed me around:
He showed me the rotted-out corner where mice get in.
He showed me the sagging ceiling where water gets in when it rains.
He showed me the mold in the bathroom – the shower and walls covered in it.
He showed me the hole in the wall where a stray cat crawled in and had kittens.
He showed me where not to step, so I didn’t fall through the floor.
He showed me the makeshift “bedroom” his parents built from plywood and 2x4s, tacked onto the side of the RV just so the kids had somewhere to sleep. Hastily constructed, but necessary so the kids have somewhere to sleep.
At one point, his little brother chimed in, saying he sometimes wakes up with spiders crawling all over him — but wasn’t sure if it was real or just a dream. Which brings me to my next point —the behavioral and mental effects that living with pests has on children.
The Hidden Cost
Research shows that children who live in unsafe, pest-infested homes are more likely to face a myriad of long-term consequences that go far beyond just physical health effects:
They are 5x more likely to experience high depressive symptoms when exposed to both cockroaches and rodents.
They are at greater risk for anxiety, chronic stress, and trauma-like responses.
They often struggle with low self-esteem, social withdrawal, and trouble focusing at school.
This isn’t just an uncomfortable or unfortunate living situation — it’s a breeding ground for toxic stress, the kind that rewires how kids see the world, themselves, and others.
Why It Matters
Helping this family get a safe, clean, pest-free place to live isn’t just about four walls and a roof. It’s about giving three kids the chance to:
Sleep through the night without cockroaches and mice crawling all over them..
Breathe without mold damaging their lungs.
Grow up knowing that they are more than just their immediate circumstances.
Because they are.
So, what do you say? We need to raise $15,000- $20,000 to buy them an RV that’s A. Big enough for the five of them -and- B. Nice enough that they aren’t dealing with the same things again in 5 years.
Let’s answer this kid’s wish for his family. Together.
Simply put “Yes” in the notes when you donate.
